Hen won't take her chicks into the coop at night

This is the third night we have had to get a chicken and her five chicks out from under the deck and into the coop. This was the worst. We were at the neighbours for dinner so I wasn't able to steer her in the right direction before dark. I have been lying on my belly in chicken poop trying to wedge myself under the coop to get at her. I finally managed to get the last of the five chicks and then we were able to chase her out with a pole and grab her. It didn't help that both of us had a few glasses of wine.If anyone was watching they would have thought it was hilarious . I don't know what to do to encourage her to go into the coop. Last night I was able to convince her to go into a box then when it was dark I picked the whole thing up and moved her. Has anyone else had this problem? It has never happened before.They always go in at night.

  

But seriously...can you put her somewhere that she can be safe for a while, till her babies are bigger where you don't have to worry? She probably feels safer doing what she is doing than going into the coop.

I have one I just realized I didn't plan well.  She is hatching as we speak, and her "house" is lifted off he ground.  I'm going to have to crawl into the pen tomorrow and very gently lower it down, as it's sitting on milk crates.. or the babies will be able to fall out and not get back in.  It has a closing door on it.  That's not going to be fun.

I am making little chicken houses tomorrow...new mobile pens for all my cockerals...could whip you up a little broody hen house. Easy to add another house when I'm making 3!

I was considering doing just that and hoping it was to her liking. These are your chicks. The four little barney boys that I picked up from you in parksville and one of ours. The other mama with six of your chicks is thankfully well behaved. I used to worry about chicks falling out. Most of mine have hatched in nest boxes off the ground. I put a small barricade in front for a couple of days and then if one falls out she will take all of them down. They are usually down by the third day and I have boxes for them at ground level by then. I am always amazed at how self sufficient they are and how resilient the chicks are.

With my luck, if one were to get hurt or stranded, it would be a girl...they are seeming a little precious to me right now.

I find if i turn a light on in the henhouse just before dusk..the chicks will go inside to be by that light. If you have the option of electricity you might try it and see if it helps

Success finally. I took down an old structure that we had put up when we were brooding chicks. There was a clearer path to the pop door then. I sat back and watched. It was painful. Both mamas tried unsuccessfully to get their chicks inside. They kept going underneath the ramp and then squealed so much that the mama came back out. From what I could see it was because mama just jumped to the top of the ramp and they really couldn't see where she went. I couldn't stand to watch after the tenth or twelfth attempt, so I ripped the ramp down. grabbed a wheel barrow, filled it with freshly cut firewood logs(hubby will not be impressed),and stacked the logs up to the pop door. Then I chased the mamas out from their hiding places and watched. Lo and behold, mama went up and in and all the babies followed suit one after the other.

Good for you you figured the problem and fixed it!